Reflector lamps include a lens, a reflector, a lamp inside the reflector and a metal base with threads for engaging a lighting fixture socket. A typical reflector lamp is illustrated in FIG. 1. A reflector lamp 100 includes a lens 102, a reflector 101, and a base 108. Also included are a lamp capsule 103, leads 112 and 113, hollow eyelets 104 and 105, and electrical conductors 106 and 107. Lens 102 can be adhesively bonded to reflector 101. Lamp capsule 103 may be any conventional lamp, including a filament lamp or an arc tube, that generates light in response to electrical energy carried by leads 112 and 113. Leads 112 and 113 can be soldered or welded to brass eyelets 104 and 105. Electrical conductors 106 and 107 are soldered to leads 112 and 113, respectively. Electrical conductor 106 is soldered to the center conductor of base 108, and electrical conductor 107 is welded or soldered to the outer conductor of base 108. Electrical conductors 106 and 107 carry electrical energy from base 108 (as supplied by the lighting fixture socket) to leads 112 and 113. Base 108 can be attached to reflector 101 through the use of dimples (not shown) within base 108 which engage mating holes in reflector 101. This method of attachment is referred to as "dimpling". Base 108 can also be attached to reflector 101 with an adhesive, alone or in combination with dimpling.
It has become desirable to use reflector lamps in lighting fixtures having a socket that is recessed within the fixture. A conventional reflector lamp, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1, does not fit into some recessed lighting fixtures, including ones which are conical in shape. In order to utilize a conventional reflector lamp with recessed lighting fixtures, modular extenders have been designed and manufactured to extend the lamp base. These modular extenders include a female threaded socket on one end and a male base with screw threads on the other end. Currently available modular extenders are cylindrical in shape and can be installed in a socket of a recessed lighting fixture. A conventional reflector lamp can then be installed in the modular extender female socket. Drawbacks associated with this solution include high tooling costs and high parts costs involved in the manufacture of the modular extender. Another more serious drawback associated with the use of this modular extender is that it is unsafe to install the modular extender in an existing fixture. A person installing the modular extender may receive an electrical shock if the socket is energized and the person touches the inside portion of the female socket of the modular extender.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved reflector lamp adapted for use in recessed lighting fixtures.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved reflector lamp with an extended neck for use in recessed lighting fixtures.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a reflector lamp with an extended neck for use in recessed lighting fixtures, which can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.